A Study Of The Development Environment Of Social Entrepreneurship In Private Vocational Education Institutions In Northeastern Thailand

Abstract

This study aimed to: 1) assess the goodness-of-fit of an indicator model of social entrepreneurship within private vocational education institutions in Northeastern Thailand from a development environment perspective, and 2) examine the current conditions, desired states, and institutional needs that influence social entrepreneurship growth. The development environment was conceptualized through key dimensions including institutional support, community engagement, resource availability, and policy context. A sample of 131 private vocational education institutions was selected using the Krejcie and Morgan formula with 95% confidence and ±5% margin of error. Data were collected via a five-point Likert scale questionnaire and analyzed using basic statistics, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and literature review to contextualize findings within the broader developmental ecosystem. Findings identified four primary components of social entrepreneurship—Social Mission, Social Innovation, Social Value, and Social Transformation—demonstrating strong model fit (χ²/df = 1.284, RMSEA = 0.030, CFI = 0.995).​

The assessment of the developmental environment showed that Social Mission, aligned with environmental stewardship and societal impact, was the highest priority area: Social Mission (PNI_Modified = 0.72), followed by Social Innovation (PNI_Modified = 0.70), Social Transformation (PNI_Modified = 0.56), and Social Value (PNI_Modified = 0.51), respectively. These results highlight critical environmental factors—such as supportive policies and stakeholder collaboration—that underpin the successful cultivation of social entrepreneurship in these institutions.